Written Answers

Thursday 4 January 2001

Scottish Executive

Ambulance Service

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what additional resources it will provide to Glasgow, Lothian, Lanark and Argyll and Clyde Ambulance Services to ensure that they reach their 999 response time targets.

Susan Deacon: The Scottish Ambulance Service is funded to provide services across Scotland. This year's allocation is £94.3 million – up by £4.1 million on last year.

  The allocation includes £500,000 specifically for 20 more front-line staff in Glasgow and a further £485,000 to train 75 more paramedics across Scotland.

  Areas round Glasgow will benefit from deployment of extra front-line staff in the city. In addition, the Scottish Ambulance Service regularly reviews performance in all health board areas to ensure that it is providing the services people need.

Asylum Seekers

Shona Robison (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the per capita level of support being made available for the educational requirements of refugee and asylum seeking children is in (a) this financial year and (b) the next financial year and how these figures compare with the equivalent figures for England and Wales.

Mr Jack McConnell: Local authorities receive general financial support for the education of all children regardless of their status through the annual local government finance settlement. Support for local authority education services is not expressed on a per capita basis and the information requested is not, therefore, available in the form requested.

Asylum Seekers

Shona Robison (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to make additional funding available to local authorities and schools to meet the costs of providing English language support to refugee and asylum seeking children.

Mr Jack McConnell: We have no firm plans to do so at this point, but will look further into this issue in the light of experience of the dispersal arrangements for the children concerned.

Autism

Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to raise public awareness of the existence and symptoms of autism and Aspergers Syndrome and to improve performance in diagnosis and assessment.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Learning Disability Review acknowledged the disparity across Scotland in assessing and diagnosing, and providing services to those with, autism.

  The review report, published in May, provides a new lead. It recommends that the Scottish Society for Autism and the National Autistic Society co-ordinate the establishment of a national service network to improve awareness and understanding of the needs of people within the autistic spectrum disorder. The network will provide access to specialist knowledge and training in both health and other fields. The network will be supported by the new Scottish Centre for Learning Disabilities which is also being set up under the review. Work is progressing on these developments.

  Autism is a priority area in the Executive’s Special Educational Needs (SEN) Innovation Grants Programme. Grants totalling £504,000 have been awarded to six projects covering a range of objectives, including raising awareness and understanding of SEN in relation to autism issues.

  In addition, we are funding from the Mental Health and Well Being Development Fund, an innovative Multi-Agency Service for Children with Autism in the Borders which could serve as a model for services throughout Scotland.

Birds

Mr Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the number of capercaillie in Scotland is estimated to have been over each of the last fifty years.

Mr Sam Galbraith: Information on the number of capercaillie in Scotland is not held on the basis sought.

  Recent findings contained within Capercaillie: A Review of Research Needs indicate a capercaillie population in Scotland in 1999 of just over 1,000; this is half of the number estimated following a count during the winter of 1993-94 and contrasts with a figure of 20,000 assessed in the early 1970s.

British Council

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will encourage the British Council to retain regional offices in Germany in order to make the implementation of the Executive’s policy on contact with the German länder easier to achieve.

Mr Jack McConnell: No. The British Council have assured the Executive that programme expenditure in Germany has not been reduced and that activity will continue at current levels. Management of the British Council’s assets is a matter for the council.

British Council

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how the closure of the regional offices of the British Council in Germany and the centralisation of activity in Berlin will assist the promotion of Scottish culture and Scottish life throughout Germany.

Mr Jack McConnell: We have been assured by the council that the closures will have no effect on the level of activity to promote Scottish life and culture in Germany and the extensive use of IT will help maintain comprehensive coverage. However, we are advised that the closures will release funds to increase programme expenditure in other countries to promote both Scottish and UK interests.

British Council

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to Her Majesty’s Government regarding the closure of the British Council regional offices in Germany, given the Executive’s policy of developing links with the regions of Germany.

Mr Jack McConnell: No. The development of Scottish Executive links with German Länder will not be affected by the closures.

Cancer

Mr Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the recommended ratio is of bowel cancer consultants to head of population.

Susan Deacon: It is a matter for health boards and NHS Trusts to assess and provide for local needs and to determine the staffing levels required for effective service delivery to their local population.

Child Safety

Mr Gil Paterson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-2517 by Nicol Stephen on 16 November 2000, what safeguards it will have in place by 2002 to protect children who now have access to the Internet either at home or at school from accessing sites which are unsuitable and communicating with people who may be harmful.

Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive has issued an information pack "ClickThinking – Personal Safety on the Internet" to all Scottish schools and to a wide range of other bodies dealing with children. A thousand copies were also sent to police stations through the Scottish Executive Crime Prevention Unit. The pack gives guidance to children and young people, their parents or carers, teachers and others who work with young people on using the Internet in a safe and informed way; and includes a set of resources for schools and families.

  All schools and education authorities have been encouraged to produce policies for the safe and ethical use of the Internet. In order to facilitate this development the Scottish Executive are organising a conference in February 2001 for education authorities to ensure a common understanding of security issues. As far as home use is concerned, the responsibility lies with parents, and ClickThinking includes advice directed at families. The pack can be found on the Internet at www.scotland.gov.uk/clickthinking.

Children

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on the establishment of the Children’s Change Fund announced by the First Minister on 13 November 2000.

Mr Jack McConnell: As the First Minister indicated on 13 November 2000, we intend to consult local authorities, the health service and the voluntary sector on the fund. We expect to issue a consultation paper for that purpose next month.

Community Care

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people in each local authority area received "meals on wheels" in each of the last four years for which figures are available.

Malcolm Chisholm: The following table details the number of people receiving a "meals on wheels" service in each local authority. These figures are based on results of a voluntary survey of local authorities. Estimates for missing values have been included in the Scotland totals. Figures relating to the Scottish unitary authorities commenced in 1997. Since 1998, this survey is conducted on a three-yearly basis. The figures for 2001 will be published later this year.

  Meals-on-Wheels Service 31 March 1998

  


Local Authority
  

Number of Clients
  



1997
  

1998
  



Aberdeen City
  

503
  

343
  



Aberdeenshire
  

939
  

718
  



Angus
  

419
  

427
  



Argyll & Bute
  

319
  

305
  



Clackmannanshire
  

278
  

247
  



Dumfries & 
  Galloway
  

577
  

660
  



Dundee City 
  

147
  

n/a
  



East Ayrshire
  

866
  

n/a
  



East Dunbartonshire
  

187
  

153
  



East Lothian
  

962
  

1,035
  



East Renfrewshire
  

248
  

165
  



Edinburgh, City 
  of
  

950
  

1,003
  



Falkirk
  

n/a
  

n/a
  



Fife
  

1,792
  

2,261
  



Glasgow City
  

2,008
  

n/a
  



Highland
  

1,281
  

1,387
  



Inverclyde
  

214
  

225
  



Midlothian 
  

290
  

271
  



Moray
  

603
  

620
  



North Ayrshire
  

527
  

375
  



North Lanarkshire
  

802
  

1,472
  



Orkney Islands
  

8
  

7
  



Perth & Kinross
  

325
  

339
  



Renfrewshire
  

384
  

364
  



Scottish Borders
  

463
  

468
  



Shetland Islands
  

232
  

225
  



South Ayrshire
  

429
  

396
  



South Lanarkshire
  

n/a
  

850
  



Stirling
  

421
  

273
  



West Dunbartonshire
  

204
  

335
  



West Lothian
  

n/a
  

n/a
  



Western Isles
  

n/a
  

0
  



Scotland1



18,068
  

18,975
  



  Source: SEHD, Community Care Statistics, H2 Return.

  Notes:

  1. Scotland totals have been estimated.

Community Care

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-9245 by Iain Gray on 30 October 2000, why the number of clients receiving home help fell by 9,558 between 1997 and 1999 and what steps it is taking to reverse this decline.

Malcolm Chisholm: The figures reflect a shift in the nature of local authority provided or commissioned home care to a more intensive service involving personal care with each client on average receiving more help. Over the period, the number of home care hours provided or commissioned by local authorities rose from 335,668 to 375,300.

  The Minister for Health and Community Care announced a range of measures on 5 October 2000, which will considerably increase home care provision.

Community Care

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many elderly people currently attend day care centres in total and as a percentage of those aged over 65, broken down by local authority.

Malcolm Chisholm: The table details the number of people attending day centres primarily intended for older people in 1998. 1998 is the latest year for which data are available as this census is now conducted on a triennial basis.

  People Attending 1 Day Centres for Older People2 1998

  


Local Authority
  

Number
Attending
  

As a percentage 
  of people aged 65 and over
  



Aberdeen City
  

594
  

1.87%
  



Aberdeenshire
  

700
  

2.30%
  



Angus
  

263
  

1.42%
  



Argyll and Bute
  

141
  

0.86%
  



Clackmannanshire
  

60
  

0.85%
  



Dumfries and Galloway
  

629
  

2.30%
  



Dundee City
  

178
  

0.70%
  



East Ayrshire
  

147
  

0.77%
  



East Dunbartonshire
  

20
  

0.13%
  



East Lothian
  

-
  

 - 
  



East Renfrewshire
  

122
  

0.94%
  



Edinburgh, City 
  of
  

962
  

1.40%
  



Eilean Siar
  

59
  

1.14%
  



Falkirk
  

300
  

1.41%
  



Fife
  

603
  

1.09%
  



Glasgow, City of
  

1,370
  

1.47%
  



Highland
  

1,261
  

3.83%
  



Inverclyde
  

188
  

1.37%
  



Midlothian
  

17
  

0.15%
  



Moray
  

116
  

0.86%
  



North Ayrshire
  

184
  

0.86%
  



North Lanarkshire
  

565
  

1.28%
  



Orkney Islands
  

105
  

3.31%
  



Perth and Kinross
  

344
  

1.42%
  



Renfrewshire
  

727
  

2.83%
  



Scottish Borders
  

351
  

1.75%
  



Shetland Islands
  

148
  

5.04%
  



South Ayrshire
  

694
  

3.33%
  



South Lanarkshire
  

721
  

1.68%
  



Stirling
  

48
  

0.38%
  



West Dunbartonshire
  

457
  

3.17%
  



West Lothian
  

288
  

1.71%
  



Scotland
  

12,362
  

1.58%
  



  Source: SEHD, Community Care Statistics, D1-B Return.

  Notes:

  1. Number attending is the number of people on the register of a centre during the census week in March, regardless of whether they actually attend the centre during that week.

  2. Figures are for day centres primarily intended for older people, some people attending these centres may belong to other client groups; it is also possible that some older people may attend centres primarily intended for other client groups.

Disabled People

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-10039 by Iain Gray on 30 October 2000, what plans it now has to secure the continuation of the work done by Disability Scotland before it entered administrative insolvency.

Malcolm Chisholm: Efforts to secure the good work of Disability Scotland are still ongoing. The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations is convening a meeting between the interested parties early in the New Year to discuss how to effect continuation of support services for disabled people previously provided by Disability Scotland.

Dounreay

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has taken part in regarding the Dounreay site restoration plan.

Mr Sam Galbraith: The Site Restoration Plan is a living document which will evolve over time to reflect the views and requirements of stakeholders. It is essentially a programme for the decommissioning of Dounreay. As such it is an operational matter, responsibility for which lies with the site operators, the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA), and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) as the sponsor department which provides funding.

  Scottish Executive officials, however, attended a presentation by UKAEA on the proposed Dounreay restoration programme and participated in follow up discussions with UKAEA, DTI and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency about the Site Plan.

Environment

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make any additional resources available for environmental monitoring of radioactive output in the Faslane area following any privatisation of the servicing, repair and monitoring of the nuclear facilities at the Faslane Naval Base and what these resources will be.

Mr Sam Galbraith: The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) already carries out a monitoring programme of radioactivity in the Scottish environment covering all major nuclear facilities, including Faslane. The scope of the monitoring is determined by criteria such as the amount of radioactivity discharged and the potential environmental impact of the discharge.

  SEPA’s monitoring programme is kept under review to identify where further monitoring may be required as a consequence of changes in operating practices which may affect radioactive discharges.

  Any additional monitoring costs which SEPA might incur as a result of the change of ownership of a nuclear site would fall to be recovered from the site operator.

Europe

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many bilateral meetings it has had with member states of the EU to discuss EU business, when these meetings were held, who represented the Executive and the member states and what the purpose was of each meeting.

Mr Jack McConnell: Information at the level of detail requested is not recorded comprehensively. Taking a strict interpretation of EU business as business to be discussed at a subsequent Council of Ministers meeting or a meeting involving one of the EU institutions, examples of formal bilaterals are as follows:

  Meetings with Germany, France, Ireland, Denmark and the Commission in the course of negotiations between the EU and Norway on fisheries last month.

  Meetings between Sarah Boyack and Noel Dempsey on 23 September 1999 in Ireland and on 22 March 2000 in Edinburgh to discuss EU environment policy.

  The meeting on 1 December between Scottish Executive officials and French officials to discuss the twinning arrangements with the Czech Republic.

  The meeting in Copenhagen in February 2000 at official level with Denmark to discuss the requirement on EU Member States to comply with the Council Regulation on maritime transport and community guidelines on island cabotage.

  In addition, a whole range of informal bilaterals involving Ministers and officials of other member states take place on an ongoing basis at the margins of meetings and at specifically arranged venues to discuss issues of mutual interest. Officials from Scotland House in particular meet colleagues from other member state administrations in the normal course of their duties. The Scottish Executive is also involved in many multi-lateral meetings.

Fisheries

John Scott (Ayr) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) has been obliging Scottish salmon farmers to waive their legal right of appeal to the Scottish Ministers in respect of Discharge Consent Applications which they have not determined within the four-month period specified in SEPA’s procedures manual.

John Scott (Ayr) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Environment Protection Agency is correctly interpreting the Control of Pollution Act 1974 section 34 (2) in the letters to salmon farmers seeking extension of the consent determination period with regard to the statements in the letters concerning dealing with applications within the four-month period and automatic refusal of applications.

John Scott (Ayr) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Environment Protection Agency has advised Scottish salmon farmers that if they do not agree in writing to an extension to the four-month consent determination period their consent is automatically refused or, alternatively, their failure to agree in writing could result in the application being automatically refused.

Mr Sam Galbraith: This is a matter for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. The agency is a separate body from the Scottish Executive and information about such correspondence between it and salmon farmers is not held centrally.

Flood Prevention

Colin Campbell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency or local authorities have statutory obligations to issue flood warnings.

Mr Sam Galbraith: Neither the Executive, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency nor local authorities have a statutory duty to issue flood warnings.

  The Scottish Environment Protection Agency has powers to provide and operate flood warning systems. A Memorandum of Understanding between SEPA and the Association of Chief Police Officers Scotland sets out the role of each party in disseminating flood warnings arising from the flood warning systems that SEPA operate.

Gulf War Veterans

Colin Campbell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-4798 by Susan Deacon on 19 July 2000, what arrangements the NHSiS has made with the Ministry of Defence regarding the provision of appropriate treatment for ex-service personnel suffering from Gulf War related illnesses.

Susan Deacon: I refer the member to the answer given to Michael Russell’s question S1W-932 in July 1999, which outlined the arrangements.

Gulf War Veterans

Colin Campbell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-4798 by Susan Deacon on 19 July 2000, whether it is funding any medical research into Gulf War related illness in co-operation with Her Majesty’s Government in Scottish hospitals, universities, or research centres.

Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive is not directly funding any research into Gulf War related illnesses.

  However the Executive in collaboration with UK Departments provides funding for the MRC, one of the agencies through which the UK Government as a whole undertakes such research.

  Details of these projects are available from the National Research Register (NRR), a copy of which is in the Parliament's Reference Centre.

Health

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many community nurses, midwives and health visitors have to date received a mobile phone hands free set and accompanying software under the initiative announced by the Scottish Office on 22 March 1999.

Susan Deacon: To date, 2,640 mobile phones have been issued under this initiative.

Health

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when those community nurses, midwives and health visitors who have not yet received a mobile phone hands free set and accompanying software under the initiative announced by the Scottish Office on 22 March 1999 can expect to receive them.

Susan Deacon: Community nurses, midwives and health visitors who can expect to receive mobile phones under this initiative will have them early in the New Year.

Health

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to provide the increased specialisation of patient care recommended in Glasgow Health Council’s response to Greater Glasgow Health Board’s Acute Services Review.

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken to answer criticisms in the response by Greater Glasgow Health Council to Greater Glasgow Health Board’s Acute Services Review regarding perceived lack of action following the first phase of its consultation exercise.

Susan Deacon: It is for Greater Glasgow Health Board, working with the NHS Trusts in its area and other stakeholders, to carry through the Acute Services Review. In discussing the review with the board and NHS Trusts, I and my officials have emphasised the importance of thorough and timely consultation, and of carefully considering the responses to consultation. When the board is in a position to send the Scottish Executive its proposals flowing from the review, we will assess them and reach decisions as soon as possible.

Health

Ms Margo MacDonald (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to increase funding for Genito-Urinary Medicine services in the light of its recently announced £3 million funding for the Healthy Respect project in Lothian.

Malcolm Chisholm: It is the responsibility of health boards to assess local needs for genito-urinary medicine services, and to make appropriate provision.

  Substantial funding increases have already been announced for the NHS in Scotland, and the Executive is working with the service to ensure that these resources are invested effectively in a way that will enable boards and Trusts to develop and deliver improved health services.

  Lessons from the Lothian-based Healthy Respect national health demonstration project will help to inform the successful implementation of sexual health policies in the future.

Health

Ms Margo MacDonald (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what strategy it has in place to carry forward any of the services specifically offered by the three-year Healthy Respect project once the project has come to an end.

Malcolm Chisholm: Healthy Respect is one of four National Demonstration Projects to apply and extend evidence about ways of improving health in priority areas. The National Demonstration Projects will be subject to independent evaluations covering methodology, impact and outcomes in order to identify lessons for the rest of Scotland. This work will be overseen by a national steering group chaired by the Chief Medical Officer.

Health

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it will require of each health board to identify the action boards are taking to tackle homelessness and address inequalities, as outlined on page 20 of  Our National Health – A Plan for Action, a Plan for Change .

Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive’s commitment to tackling health inequalities is part of our wider commitment to tackling poverty and creating social justice. Guidance to each health board on addressing health and homelessness issues will be issued by March 2001 and a health and homelessness co-ordinator will be appointed in February 2001 to support the action by boards and Trusts.

Inter-Governmental Conference

Colin Campbell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive to what extent its ministers and officials were involved in preparatory work for the recent Inter-Governmental Conference in Nice and, if any were involved, who they were, what topics they addressed, and how much time any such work took in total.

Mr Jack McConnell: The Scottish Executive was fully consulted in the preparation of the UK lines for the IGC and fed in its views where appropriate. This has been an ongoing process. Since issues such as the extension of Qualified Majority Voting cover a wide range of policy areas, several Ministers and Scottish Executive officials were involved at various stages in the process.

MMR Vaccine

Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive for what medical reason the licensing of single antigen measles and mumps vaccines is denied.

Susan Deacon: The vaccination policy in the UK for mumps, measles and rubella is to use the combined MMR vaccine. This policy is strongly supported by the recognised authorities on childhood immunisation, including the World Health Organisation. As a result no manufacturer is producing single antigen vaccine for measles or mumps with a European Medicines Evaluation Authority (EMEA) or a UK licence.

  The use of single dose vaccines leaves children at risk of infection while they are waiting for the next single dose vaccine.

MMR Vaccine

Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many children in total and as a percentage of the total number of children have received the MMR vaccination in (a) this year and (b) each of the five previous years, broken down by health board.

Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested has been provided by the Information and Statistics Division of the Common Service Agency of the NHS and is set out in the following tables:

  Primary Immunisation Uptake Rates of Mumps/ Measles and Rubella at 24 months; by Health Board; by year1.

  


 


Year 
  ending 
  



31 
  December 1995 
  

31 
  December 1996 
  

31 
  March 1997 
  



Number 
  

Percentage 
  

Number 
  

Percentage 
  

Number 
  

Percentage 
  
  
  



Scotland 
  

58,612 
  

94.1 
  

55,634 
  

94.6 
  

55,781 
  

94.4 
  



Argyll 
  and Clyde 
  

4,932 
  

95.5 
  

4,581 
  

95.2 
  

4,762 
  

94.7 
  



Ayrshire 
  and Arran 
  

4,225 
  

92.8 
  

3,902 
  

93.8 
  

3,683 
  

93.5 
  



Borders 
  

1,030 
  

91.2 
  

1,094 
  

95.9 
  

1,084 
  

95.0 
  



Dumfries 
  and Galloway 
  

1,618 
  

92.4 
  

1,566 
  

94.5 
  

1,554 
  

94.2 
  



Fife 
  

4,020 
  

95.7 
  

3,677 
  

94.8 
  

3,775 
  

94.0 
  



Forth 
  Valley 
  

3,184 
  

94.8 
  

3,040 
  

96.1 
  

3,113 
  

95.9 
  



Grampian2


6,167 
  

94.2 
  

6,208 
  

94.1 
  

6,075 
  

93.6 
  



Greater 
  Glasgow 
  

10,529 
  

93.4 
  

9,818 
  

94.1 
  

9,818 
  

94.1 
  



Highland 
  

2,276 
  

89.8 
  

2,191 
  

91.2 
  

2,191 
  

91.2 
  



Lanarkshire 
  

6,691 
  

94.6 
  

6,383 
  

95.2 
  

6,448 
  

95.0 
  



Lothian 
  

8,744 
  

94.3 
  

8,414 
  

95.1 
  

8,461 
  

95.4 
  



Orkney2


242 
  

96.4 
  

229 
  

96.6 
  

231 
  

95.1 
  



Shetland2


293 
  

93.6 
  

309 
  

92.5 
  

298 
  

92.5 
  



Tayside 
  

4,396 
  

95.0 
  

3,938 
  

95.1 
  

4,012 
  

95.2 
  



Western 
  Isles 
  

265 
  

96.0 
  

284 
  

91.6 
  

276 
  

94.2 
  


 



 


31 
  March 1998 
  

31 
  March 1999 
  

31 
  March 2000 
  



 


Number 
  

Percentage 
  

Number 
  

Percentage 
  

Number 
  

Percentage 
  



Scotland 
  

54,813 
  

94.0 
  

54,100 
  

92.4 
  

53,620 
  

92.9 
  



Argyll 
  and Clyde 
  

4,652 
  

93.9 
  

4,498 
  

91.7 
  

4,502 
  

92.6 
  



Ayrshire 
  and Arran 
  

3,851 
  

93.3 
  

3,803 
  

91.9 
  

3,760 
  

93.7 
  



Borders 
  

1,093 
  

91.8 
  

1,026 
  

89.9 
  

1,030 
  

92.8 
  



Dumfries 
  and Galloway 
  

1,536 
  

89.7 
  

1,483 
  

87.8 
  

1,515 
  

93.6 
  



Fife 
  

3,615 
  

95.0 
  

3,599 
  

92.8 
  

3,592 
  

92.5 
  



Forth 
  Valley 
  

2,927 
  

95.4 
  

3,050 
  

94.2 
  

3,049 
  

94.6 
  



Grampian2


5,688 
  

94.3 
  

5,587 
  

92.8 
  

5,630 
  

92.3 
  



Greater 
  Glasgow 
  

9,792 
  

93.2 
  

9,474 
  

92.8 
  

9,356 
  

93.8 
  



Highland 
  

2,172 
  

91.6 
  

2,064 
  

88.5 
  

2,131 
  

86.8 
  



Lanarkshire 
  

6,287 
  

94.7 
  

6,288 
  

91.8 
  

6,193 
  

92.9 
  



Lothian 
  

8,387 
  

95.0 
  

8,429 
  

93.8 
  

8,186 
  

93.5 
  



Orkney2


219 
  

94.0 
  

215 
  

95.6 
  

203 
  

98.1 
  



Shetland2


272 
  

90.4 
  

256 
  

91.4 
  

254 
  

91.7 
  



Tayside 
  

4,030 
  

95.9 
  

4,074 
  

93.4 
  

3,991 
  

93.4 
  



Western 
  Isles 
  

292 
  

94.5 
  

254 
  

86.7 
  

228 
  

86.4 
  



  Source: Information and Statistics Division.

  Notes:

  1. 1995 and 1996 figures are based on calendar rather than financial years.

Mental Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that local authorities give patients with a mental illness appropriate care and treatment in the community, based on assessment of need.

Malcolm Chisholm: Health boards and NHS Trusts are expected to work with local authorities to develop services for the treatment and rehabilitation of patients with mental illness, based on a proper assessment of needs.

  The Framework for Mental Health Services in Scotland provides a template for the best inter-agency organisation of such services and support, based on the aim that all needs are met. Guidance on the best organisation of mental health services was published in the service elements section of the Framework for Mental Health Services in Scotland (bib. no.7392). A copy is available in the Parliament's Reference Centre.

Mental Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that NHS Trusts and local authorities have precise information about the numbers of people with a mental disorder whom it is agreed require community care, but who remain in hospital.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Framework for Mental Health Services in Scotland provides guidance for mental health agencies in how best to meet the needs of individuals with mental health problems. The pre-discharge, multi-agency assessment process recommended in the framework will inform numbers and responses in each case.

Mental Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is reviewing the treatments available for mental illnesses, particularly those aimed at relieving positive schizophrenic symptoms, given the documented side effects of some current treatments.

Susan Deacon: The ultimate decision regarding the use of a particular treatment for an individual patient is a matter for the specialist responsible for that patient’s care, taking into account any national or local guidance and advice from various sources including from Health Boards’ Area Drugs and Therapeutics Committees.

  In relation to the side-effects of some current treatments for schizophrenia, the Medicines Control Agency and the Committee on Safety of Medicines monitor the safety of all medicines marketed in the UK and, where necessary, provide health professionals with advice on the safe use of these medicines.

Mental Health

Phil Gallie (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when the report of the Millan Commission, due to be published in the summer of 2000, will now be published.

Susan Deacon: I understand the Millan Committee, which is reviewing the Mental Health (Scotland) Act 1984, expects to publish its final report early in the New Year.

NHS Staff

Mr Keith Raffan (Mid Scotland and Fife) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what initiatives it plans to attract younger people to work in the NHSiS.

Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive does not have any particular plans to target recruitment of young people into the NHS.

Pre-School Education

Mr Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many additional free early years education places will be required to meet its target for free places in (a) Scotland and (b) each educational authority.

Nicol Stephen: Our target is to provide a free, part-time pre-school education place for every three and four-year-old whose parents wish it by June 2002. We achieved this target for four-year-olds in February 1999. In the summer term of school year 1999-2000 some 68% of eligible three-year-olds accessed a grant-funded place and participation is expected to reach 75% across Scotland as a whole by the end of the current school year. Parental demand will determine the number and distribution of any additional places required thereafter.

  The numbers of eligible three-year-old children in each local authority area receiving a funded place in the summer term of 1999-2000 are shown in the table.

  Number (and percentage) of eligible three-year-old children in grant funded pre-school education in the summer term of school year 1999-2000

  


Local Authority
  

3 Year Olds in Provision 
  Summer Term
  

3 Year Old Summer 
  Participation Rate (%)
  



Scotland
  

40,521
  

67.89
  



Aberdeen City
  

1,565
  

70.56
  



Aberdeenshire
  

1,692
  

63.42
  



Angus
  

857
  

68.56
  



Argyll & Bute
  

883
  

94.84
  



Clackmannanshire
  

502
  

77.11
  



Dumfries & Galloway
  

1,155
  

81.51
  



Dundee City
  

1,220
  

72.66
  



East Ayrshire
  

983
  

69.47
  



East Dunbartonshire
  

1,164
  

86.22
  



East Lothian
  

714
  

64.79
  



East Renfrewshire
  

860
  

83.74
  



Edinburgh, City 
  of
  

3,481
  

69.27
  



Eilean Siar
  

239
  

82.13
  



Falkirk
  

909
  

52.24
  



Fife
  

2,572
  

66.39
  



Glasgow City
  

5,746
  

76.30
  



Highland
  

1,009
  

41.39
  



Inverclyde
  

618
  

60.89
  



Midlothian
  

677
  

74.72
  



Moray
  

818
  

75.81
  



North Ayrshire
  

1,157
  

71.69
  



North Lanarkshire
  

3,083
  

73.30
  



Orkney
  

122
  

52.81
  



Perth & Kinross
  

862
  

60.58
  



Renfrewshire
  

1,282
  

58.92
  



Scottish Borders
  

1,024
  

87.67
  



Shetland
  

225
  

80.65
  



South Ayrshire
  

810
  

68.94
  



South Lanarkshire
  

2,096
  

58.47
  



Stirling
  

531
  

55.25
  



West Dunbartonshire
  

716
  

60.78
  



West Lothian
  

949
  

45.65

Schools

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to the £5 million to support the development of PPP projects for school buildings announced on 23 August 2000, (a) how much has been allocated, (b) to whom the money has been allocated, (c) how much money remains in the fund and (d) who has applied for funding to date.

Mr Jack McConnell: Authorities’ bids for support under these arrangements are under consideration. I expect to announce details of our decisions early in January 2001.

Scottish Executive Staff

George Lyon (Argyll and Bute) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many of its departmental jobs were based in each local authority area for each year since 1996.

Angus MacKay: The numbers of jobs in the core departments are shown in the table. Comparisons between years is not straightforward, due to the creation of agencies during the period and structural changes post-devolution.

  


 


1996
  

1997
  

1998
  

1999
  

2000
  



Aberdeen City
  

191
  

189
  

14
  

16
  

15
  



Aberdeenshire
  

52
  

55
  

61
  

67
  

69
  



Angus 
  

8
  

7
  

2
  

3
  

3
  



Argyll and Bute 
  
  

25
  

23
  

23
  

24
  

25
  



City of Edinburgh
  

3,186
  

3,192
  

2,795
  

3,041
  

3,134
  



Clackmannanshire
  

34
  

34
  

1
  

1
  

1
  



Dumfries and Galloway
  

31
  

25
  

32
  

32
  

33
  



Dundee City
  

48
  

46
  

45
  

48
  

50
  



East Lothian
  

11
  

10
  

11
  

12
  

13
  



Eilean Siar
  

22
  

25
  

20
  

20
  

19
  



Glasgow City
  

458
  

509
  

240
  

257
  

380
  



Highland
  

76
  

74
  

70
  

79
  

78
  



Moray 
  

6
  

5
  

6
  

5
  

6
  



Orkney 
  

16
  

15
  

16
  

16
  

15
  



Perth and Kinross 
  
  

62
  

64
  

35
  

34
  

36
  



Scottish Borders
  

28
  

34
  

37
  

37
  

41
  



Shetland 
  

9
  

12
  

9
  

8
  

10
  



South Ayrshire
  

45
  

41
  

52
  

50
  

53
  



South Lanarkshire 
  
  

13
  

19
  

20
  

25
  

26
  



Stirling
  

15
  

18
  

19
  

20
  

17

Scottish Qualifications Authority

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will meet in full the costs of any additional expenditure which the Scottish Qualifications Authority requires to incur on information technology, staff training, staff wages and consultants’ reports.

Mr Jack McConnell: I have given a commitment to fund the difference between the Scottish Qualifications Authority’s income and expenditure, during the current financial year and financial year 2001-02, within limits to be agreed with the Executive.

  The Scottish Executive is currently considering information supplied by the SQA on additional expenditure incurred this financial year and projected additional expenditure for financial year 2001-02. On the basis of this information, we will discuss with the SQA a recovery plan which will be used to set the level of Executive funding.

Scottish Qualifications Authority

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-9988 by Henry McLeish on 30 October 2000, whether it provided any funding to the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) in the last three financial years other than that made available under section 13 of the Education (Scotland) Act 1996 and how much funding it expects to provide to the SQA in the current financial year and in each of the next two financial years.

Mr Jack McConnell: All payments made to the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) have fallen under section 13 of the Education (Scotland) Act 1996.

  The Scottish Executive is currently considering information supplied by the SQA on additional expenditure incurred this financial year and projected additional expenditure for financial year 2001-02. On the basis of this information, the Executive will discuss with the SQA a recovery plan which will be used to set the levels of Executive funding.

Scottish Qualifications Authority

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-10881 by Mr Jack McConnell on 30 November 2000, when the Chairman of the Scottish Qualifications Authority will reply to me.

Mr Jack McConnell: The Chairman of the Scottish Qualifications Authority wrote to you on 21 December and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre (bib. no. 10320).

Sexual Offences

Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when the Sexual Offenders (Amendment) Act 2000, which comes into force in England, Wales and Northern Ireland on 8 January 2001, will come into force in Scotland.

Mr Jim Wallace: The provisions of the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 2000 that relate to Scotland will be brought into force on 8 January 2001 by the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 2000 (Commencement No.2) (Scotland) Order 2000.

Special Educational Needs

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to consult interested parties before issuing guidance on physical accessibility strategies for schools, as detailed in section 13 of Her Majesty's Government’s Special Educational Needs and Disability Bill.

Nicol Stephen: Unlike the other disability provisions of the UK Government’s Special Educational Needs and Disability Bill, which are reserved, clause 13 is concerned with local authority organisation and management which is devolved. The clause will therefore not extend to Scotland. The Executive is considering how best to introduce similar provisions here.

Telecommunications

Fiona McLeod (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the different types of structure covered by the term "mobile phone masts" and how many such masts there are in Scotland, in total and broken down by type of structure.

Mr Sam Galbraith: There is no definitive list of structures which would constitute "mobile phone masts". Anything which supports antennas for the operation of mobile phone systems could be described as a "mobile phone mast", from purpose built masts to lamp posts and other street furniture. Information on the numbers of "mobile phone masts" in Scotland is not held centrally. However, as part of the response by the UK Government and the Scottish Executive to the report of the Independent Expert Group on Mobile Phones, the Radiocommunications Agency will be setting up a database of all base stations, i.e. installations with antennas for mobile phone systems.